Control a 33t excavator through the power of 'armception'

USING only a flick of the wrist, both young and old will have the opportunity to control a 33t excavator through the science of mechatronics.

The RX10 display which will feature at the upcoming Mechanos Wings and Wheel Mackay, will allow users to use simple arm gestures over a sensor to control a small robot arm sitting inside an excavator 10m away.

The small arm will in turn adjust the controls of the excavator's larger arm in what creator and owner of Mic's Lab terms "armception".

Mic Black hopes the display will encourage younger people to engage with mechatronics by making the impossible seem possible using what they already know.

"If you want to introduce someone to something new, you have to do it with something familiar.

"They might see these devices everywhere, but aren't allowed to use them.

"It's showing that something that seems outlandish or impossible seem possible through mechatronics."

He says prior to this experiment, he had never used an excavator before.

"My previous experience of driving an excavator is the type you sit on in a sandpit with the two levers."

Event organiser Jarryd Townson says when he first contacted Mr Black about a creation for Mechanos, he was not sure exactly what he had in mind.

"We gave Mic a call and said we're doing this event and we know what sort of work you do and asked what he could do.

"He turned around and said can you get me a big excavator and we laughed and said of course we can, this is Mackay."

Mechanos Wings and Wheels Mackay, to be held on Sunday, is a community event combining mechanical and technical exhibitions and aims to showcase technologies now and in the future.

For a full listing of events and tickets, visit the official website at mechanos.com.au.